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I stumbled across a powerful statement the other day, and it seems to fit the daily Lectionary reading we just heard from Mark's Gospel.

"Tradition is the living faith of the dead; Traditionalism is the dead faith of the living."

(let me repeat it…)

It seems to me this phrase is at work in our Scripture passage this afternoon, and calls us to reflect on that reality.

Jesus is in Galilee in the north, and some of the religious leaders come up from Jerusalem and gather, as the texts says "around him" . This is an interesting use of words. They encircle him.

It is fascinating to speculate why they made the trip, and why they were observing him and his followers? And why he was encircled rather than offered an atmosphere of dialogue and respect?

I also find it interesting that they observed during a meal…a moment of community; a time of relaxation, conversation, enjoyment, and perhaps the informality that lightens a long day of ministry, when one's guard is lowered!

In this passage, the center of religious power, Jerusalem, is extending itself to the margins; to the north; to the areas and people whose economic, political and social status enabled them to observe the law, but with a good deal of flexibility.

Or as a former colleague, William Hertzog describes, they lived "the little tradition".

Faithfulness, but with a good dose of practicality, because of their experience, and their context; limits, their status, and responsibilities.

Most were oppressed in many ways and the "luxury" of temple practices was beyond them.

Traditions kept but not as rigidly as those in Jerusalem might require.

One also wonders if the issues of ritual and traditions were a matter of some conflict and concern within Mark's 1st century community?

Why is he including this story? Were the people struggling? Trying to decide what to hold on to from their ancient faith, and what practices to release?

Each of our denominations has faced this issue on some level…hymn choices, translations of holy books, inclusion of women, and gays.

Mark's description that all "Jews do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands", is a bit of an exaggeration, but the practice was wide spread.

He adds a list of other traditional actions; washing food, pots, cups and kettles".

Already the term "tradition" is used three times in a critique of Jesus and followers.

Jesus responds by calling his critics "hypocrites", "whose hearts are "far from (God)".

It is not the traditions that are the problem; or I might add their original intent, but the way they were expressed, enforced and applied, as well as the judgments placed on those who were less than observant.

No matter the sincerely of their original intent, in time, particular traditions had the capacity to separate people; pure form impure; orthodox from unorthodoxy; insider from outsider.

Jesus' is concerned when people honored God by external practices but their hearts were far away.

He is also concerned about choices between human traditions and the commandments.

He uses the commandment of honoring one's parents as an example and notes the way in which a practice enabled aid to parents to be diverted.

"You make void the word of God through your tradition".

Twenty two years ago our seminary established the program for the Study of Women and Gender in Church and Society.

That is the study of the role, gifts and ministry of women; and the relationships between men and women in church and society.

This program also sponsors the "Christian Faith LGBT Experience Lectures"; Women Thriving in Ministry Series; and the Helen Barrett Montgomery Conference held every other year.

And as you know on a regular basis women and gender classes are offered such as Dr. May's course this semester, and the emphasis on women and gender finds its way into all our course and texts.

Just as Black Church studies is a critical program for us, Women and Gender Studies becomes a thread through all that we do and teach.

The aim of the program is to hold on to the rich traditions and outstanding leaders who have struggled to reclaim and reinforce the dignity of so many left behind…

But at the same time to address traditionalism and many of its practices that have stymied, suppressed and neglected the role, gifts, and importance of the place and power of women in Church and society.

That traditionalism is faced when Scripture passages regarding women and their relationship to Jesus Christ and the men in their lives are carefully and scholarly addressed.

When passages and policies that denigrate the LGBT community are studied and explained.

When the saints who have given their lives and energy are held up and in many cases reintroduced.

When systems that control and dominate are exposed.

"Tradition is the living faith of the dead" Traditionalism is the dead faith of the living."

Dr. Jin Young reminded me that following today's text we find the story of the healing of the Syrophoenician woman's daughter.

She appeared in our call to worship!

Because of her persistence and faith and because of Jesus' openness and change… "A tradition becomes the living faith of the dead….(in fact it continues to live through this text) and an accepted traditionalism becomes the dead faith of some who could never accept his actions of inclusion and recognition of the marginal ones.

The question for us may well be… where do we find ourselves as we study theology, scripture, ministry, ethics and lived experience?

Where do you and I find ourselves in this challenge "Tradition is the living faith of the dead Traditionalism is the dead faith of the living"!

Dr. John R. Tyson Professor of Church History and Director of United Methodist Studies

Dr. John R. Tyson, Professor of Church History and Director of United Methodist Studies, is pleased to announce that Dr. Richard Heitzenrater–the foremost scholar on the life and thought of the 18th century preacher John Wesley–will be teaching a doctoral level course in June 2014.

A new D.Min. concentration

Dr. Richard HeitzenraterWilliam Kellon Quick Professor Emeritus of Church History and Wesley Studies at the Divinity School of Duke University

Dr. Heitzenrater will launch the new D.Min. in Transformative Leadership with a Concentration in Methodist and Wesleyan Studies (learn more here), a project that Dr. Tyson has brought to fruition over the past year. The course, entitled "The Sayings of John Wesley for Today," will take place from June 9-13, 2014. It is open to current D.Min. students, new students on the program, auditors, and Continuing Education students seeking CEUs (Continuing Education Units).

About the CRCDS D.Min. Program

The D.Min. (Doctor of Ministry) Program at CRCDS includes two week-long intensives each year. Students come to the Hill in January or June and work closely with faculty or visiting professors through seminars and coursework.

Last Wednesday, Jane Sutter, Editor of Community Partnerships / Niche Content at The Democrat and Chronicle, attended Barbara Moore's class "Ministry on the Margins."

The visit was a research opportunity for a project at the paper she leads, Unite Rochester. Pres. McMickle has worked closely with Ms. Sutter on the feature, which seeks to address ongoing issues of race, identity and injustice here in Rochester.

Jin Young Choi appointed as Assistant Professor of New Testament and Christian Origins

Assistant Professor of New Testament and Christian OriginsColgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School

Dr. Stephanie L. Sauvé, Vice President for Academic Life and Dean of the Faculty, announces the appointment of Jin Young Choi as Assistant Professor of New Testament and Christian Origins at Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School.

Ms. Choi joins a world-class faculty who offer a relevant, global and energized theological perspective at a time when the church–and theological education–is in great transition.

A native of South Korea, Ms. Choi represents a new generation of New Testament scholarship that is attuned not only to the local church, but also to the life of Christianity internationally. By weaving biblical narrative together with diverse interpretative threads, her work illumines the interplay of economics, gender relations, political and religious power. Ms. Choi's appointment affirms longstanding commitments of the Divinity School while opening new pathways into a prophetic future.

Described as "collegial, dialogic in style and engaging" by Dr. Melanie Duguid-May, John Price Crozer Professor of Theology, Ms. Choi was most recently a fellow in the Program in Theology and Practice at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. Funded in part by a grant from the Lilly Endowment, this program is uniquely focused on linking theological academic work with training in the arts of congregational ministry. She is a Ph.D. candidate in New Testament and Early Christianity at Vanderbilt University and her doctoral dissertation is entitled, "Understanding as the Embodiment of Mystery in the Gospel of Mark."

A talented, interdisciplinary scholar with a practical focus, Ms. Choi holds a Master of Theology from Emory University (2005), a Master of Arts from the Graduate School of Ewha Women's University in Seoul, South Korea, (1998) and a Master of Divinity from Presbyterian Theological College and Seminary (1995), also in Seoul. Her article, “Misunderstanding of Jesus’ Disciples in Mark,” is included in Mark: Texts @ Context (Fortress, 2010). Ms. Choi taught foundational courses in New Testament at both Vanderbilt University and Columbia Theological Seminary. She has published a number of Bible study books and lectionary resources for church leaders and lay people in the United States and South Korea.